As consumers become more health conscious and nature oriented, flavored water gains popularity. A flavored water, also referred to as near-water, is a beverage that has a water-like appearance, and it is composed by adding flavors such as fragrance, essence and about 1% of fruit juice to mineral water.
It is noted that flavored waters, particularly those like near-waters that are colorless and transparent similar to water but has a fruit flavor are drunk “in place of water” as a beverage that is drunk when feeling thirsty, particularly when there is a desire to gulp down a substantial amount. However, commercially available near-waters are often considered unsatisfactory as beverages to be drunk “in place of water” due to their artificial scent or persistent sweetness, and there were remarks that their lightness in taste and watery quality reduce their drinkability.
The aroma felt by humans are said to be divided into two types, namely the orthonasal aroma and the retronasal aroma. The former is aroma that enters from the tip of the nose into the nasal cavity with inspiration, and the latter is aroma that travels through the throat to the nose when food is put in the mouth. The retronasal aroma is also called the “return aroma” and includes an aroma arising from a person chewing the food per se that traveled back from the throat to the nose, and aroma that is newly formed through the reaction of the food and various enzymes in the saliva when food is put in the mouth. There has been proposed as a beverage that focuses on the “return aroma” a soft drink having a wine savor having an improved lingering fruit aroma after the beverage has been swallowed (Patent Document 1).